Swing Plane Aid

ABSTRACT

Visual alignment device that allows a golfer to visualize the swing plane and rotation of the club face during a golf swing. 
     Consists of a removable clamp and inter-changeable disc that can attach to any golf club and can attach at two different places on a golf club.

REFERENCES CITED U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 2,771,678 November 1956 HANSEN, S R 2,898,109 August 1959 WILLIAMS 3,253,829 May 1966 FORD 3,262,705 July 1966 NUNZIATO 3,951,415 April 1976 STUART 473/238 4,040,631 August 1977 FLIPPIN 4,167,268 September 1979 LORANG 4,204,332 May 1980 GRAY 4,257,607 March 1981 NEDWICK 4,306,721 December 1981 DOYLE 473/238 4,789,158 January 1988 CHIESA 4,949,971 August 1990 THORNTON 5,143,376 September 1992 JOHNSON 5,152,533 October 1992 RADAKOVICH 5,181,723 January 1993 BROWN 273/DIG.30 5,207,174 May 1993 FABBRINI 40/334 X 5,228,695 July 1993 MEYER 473/238 5,294,126 March 1994 ARMSTRONG 5,310,188 May 1994 HERNBERG

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention is to aid the right-handed or left-handed golfer. The grip end of a golf club is just as important as the club face end. It is very difficult to get the club face to strike the ball correctly without first placing you hands on the club shaft correctly. The swing-plane aid will help verify that the golfer's hands are on the club shaft in the right place with the club face to be on his intended target line. Then the golfer can let the club do its work uninterrupted. Once can look at the swing-plane aid position indicator anywhere in one's back swing or down swing, and tell where the club face is at any given time, being more aware of the grip end and the club faces' direction and desired swing plane. The swing-plane aid helps to make the right moves to place the grip end of the club in the right place when the golfer swings through a ball. It is recognized that in order to repeatedly hit golf balls well, it is necessary to groove a swing. In other words, it is necessary to work on, create and have a swing which has a desired profile and is repeatable.

While a swing may or may not vary for unique clubs, the repeatable nature of the swing or grooving of the swing is necessary for the use for any club in the golfer's bag. It has been determined that a perfect swing plane is accomplished with consistent practice. Not every golfer will use the same plane or arc of the swing. In order to perfect your swing plane, use of a swing-plane aid can help.

Imagine a dotted line drawn from the ball, along the club shaft and up past the grip end of the club. This is your swing plane line. When you go to swing, keep the swing aid and the club shaft on this angle. The movement of your arms may cause the club to move slightly above this imaginary line, but as you continue on the descent, the club should drop back in place below this imaginary line. Swing plane, in other words, may be envisioned as being like a sheet of glass resting on the golfer's shoulders and extending to the ball. The ideal down swing plane has been described as a sheet of glass having a flatter angle than that of ideal back swing plane.

While it is impossible to accomplish a perfect golf swing each and every time, this device will enable the golfer to have a visual observation of swinging the club consistently along an ideal swing plane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view illustration of a golfer at address of the golf ball with the invention aid attached to his club shaft aimed down his intended target line.

FIG. 2 is a plain view of the golf swing plane aid as a complete device.

FIG. 3 top view of the interchangeable disk.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the invention and its individual components without interchangeable disk installed.

FIG. 5 a view of the rubber insert used to install device on club shaft to stop movement of the invention.

FIG. 6 a side view illustration of golfer with swing plane aid device attached showing the backswing of the golfer illustrating the use of his peripheral vision.

FIG. 7 a square interchangeable disk.

FIG. 8 an oval interchangeable disk.

FIG. 9 a diamond shape interchangeable disk.

FIG. 10 an octagon interchangeable disk.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIG. 1, a golfer is generally indicated by the 1. The golfer is shown in a position of address to the ball, and is holding a conventional golf club, at address on his intended target line 2, which is a typical golf club shaft 3, a conventional golf club 4 the golf club grip 5, the golf club head 6, golf club face 7, the lower leading edge 9 Is in reference to the club face of the golf club clubface is perpendicular to the desired direction golfer wants the ball to travel 8 the golf ball 9. Is in reference to the golfer's intended target line or in other words the direction the golfer wants to hit the ball 10. Is the invention swing plane aid attached to the golf club as a complete assembling unit located approximately 2 inches below the golf club grip as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2-10, complete assembly of the device golf swing plane aid 12 with a Removable bolt that fastens the body of the swing aid to any club shaft as shown in FIG. 1 a Wing nut attached to removable bolt 14. Body of swing plane aid device made of high-impact lightweight plastic device is a split ring clamp that can be tightened by the use of the wing nut and the bolt shown in FIGS. 2,19 15. A Rubber insert to help stop alignment aid from moving out of position when it is attached to the club shaft 18. Self locking nut to hold down interchangeable round disk that is attached to the aids plastic lightweight body of the training device FIG. 3-16. Is a Round disk made of high-impact lightweight plastic that is mounted on top of swing aid shown in figure number two drawing? As shown in FIG. 6 the golfer 1, has started his backswing 11, on his intended target line 9, it is the desire to swing the golf club 2, so that the shaft 3 moves in a plane 11, and lease prior to and immediately sequence only to make contact with the ball 8, so that the golfer 1, can appreciate the plane swing aid 10, is mounted perpendicular to the desire swing plane so that shaft 3 has 10, mounted on shaft 3, perpendicular to the golf club 3, face 6. The lower leading edge 7 perpendiculars to the direction of travel 9, of the ball 8. the golfer 1, has a convenient reference on the shaft 3, to the desired swing plane 11, of the shaft 2, and the particular line to the travel of the ball 8, all by using 10 and using the golfers 20. Peripheral vision. As shown in FIG. 6. The golfer using the swing plane aid 10, by always attaching that aid 10. in the same spot on the club shaft 2, with respect to the leading edge of the clubface 7, preferably they aid 10, is attached near the top golf club shaft 2, a proximally 2′ inches down from the club grip 4. the golfer 1, then practices his or her swing 11, each time viewing the disposition of the alignment aid 10, in the head 5, of the club 3, is at the top of the backswing 11, although the golfer 1, can easily see the golf club head 5, at the top of his backswing 11, the golfer 1, sees the alignment aid 10, by repeating practices with his or her stroke observing the position of the alignment aid 10, golfer 1, quickly learns the correct and position of the clubface 6, with use of the alignment aid 10, when the club head 5, is in the first proper position at the top of the backswing 11, using this aid to practice your backswing in which you turn your shoulders and your hips along with the club 3, to a position where the club shaft 2, is parallel to the ground and leading edge 7, of the club face 6, is pointing to the sky halfway back at this point of your golf swing 11, the club shaft 3, would be about knee-high at this position the swing aid 10, would enable you to check the continuation of your backswing 11, At this point the golfer 1, would be able go to the top of your backswing 11, being able to see the swing aid 10, with your peripheral vision 20, by not having the opportunity to look at the clubface 6, the golfer 1, who. Would be able to see that the face of your left hand and clubface 6, is all parallel to your target line 9, with your peripheral vision 20, of the swing plane aid disk 16, This would show the golfer 1, that the club 3, was on the correct angle of your attended target line 9, when the club 3, reaches this position your torso should also have turned 90° which this is to say nearly facing the same way with the club shaft in this position to complete the backswing 11, by simply folding your arms and the club 3, up to the top you see the swing plane aid 10, easily out of the corner of your eye using peripheral vision without having to lift your head to see the clubface 6, while in use of the golfer swing aid 10, can help execute your backswing 11, turning making sure that your shoulders and your entire Chest is to the right at the top of the backswing. Turning your head to the right and you should be in a position where you can see the swing plane aid 10, out of the corner of your right eye and now you're ready to execute your downswing. FIG. 6 is an illustration of the golfer 1, using the training aid 10, with the invention attached making his perfect backswing with the device all using his peripheral vision. FIG. 1 the position in which the golf club 3, is held is easily checked in the address position in that the position of the golf club shaft 2, and swing aid it is more apparent that the head of the golf club and direct line of sight of the swing aid relative to the shaft the position of the swing aid guide can be checked by the players I can align golf club face 6, to ensure that the golf club is held correctly. Use of the alignment aid by the golfer 1, with the aid attached at the same angle with the leading edge 7, of the clubface 6 head preferably by the aid is attached to the shaft near the top of the golf club grip the golfer then practices his or her golf swing each time viewing the position of the alignment aid when the head of the club is at the top of the backswing although the golfer cannot easily see the golf club head at the top of the backswing here the golfer sees the aligning aid by repeated practice his or her swing after observing the disposition of the alignment aid golfer quickly learns the correct swing plane that the club needs to be on after reaching the top of the backswing.

Swing Plane Aid has Interchangeable Disk that are Reversible and in Multi Colors

FIGS. 7, 16A FIGS. 8, 16B FIGS. 9, 16C FIGS. 10, 16D

The use of the golf club alignment aid is so that when the golfer holds the golf club at the top of the backswing with the face of the golf club head disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the ground the golfer is able to observe the golf club head alignment aid and in that position to start his or hers downswing.

Use of the swing plane aid which enables the golfer to confirm orientation of the clubface without head or shoulder movement of the golfer.

An alternative use for golf swing training aid may be used on the shaft of putter to help the golfer with his tempo as it acts as if an it is a pendulum clock to help develop a smooth stroke.

A method of golf training, this golf swing training aid can be used by a right-handed or left-handed golfer. This aid permits the golfer to verify that club face is pointed correctly on his or her intended target line at address of golf ball, at any point during his or her backswing. The use of this aid will help give the golfer a good visual aid throughout the golfer's backswing from the moment of address to the top of the backswing. Confirming the rotation or lack of rotation of the clubface, all by using his or her peripheral vision. This helps stop the golfer from requiring excessive lifting of the head or shoulders of the golfer. The swing aid will help the golfer to stop coming to the inside too quickly on his or her backswing and will help prevent the over-the-top move on his or her downswing. By the use of the swing trainer, the golfer's swing is trained to be on the correct swing path and errors such as face rotation or too much wrist cock are detected and can be corrected easily. 

1) A visual aid attached to a golf club shaft consisting of a clamp and circular disk to help satisfy the golfers' needs with swing plane and ball alignment issues, that can be attached in two different places, at either the golf club shaft and would project from the club shaft about two inches down from the golf grip on the shaft of the club, and also be attached to the golf club grip at the base of the grip which will improve swing weight, and is normally positioned in the plane of the leading edge of clubface and when the club head is held in the address position prior to the effect of a stroke. 2) An adjustable alignment aid which can be viewed without the movement of the head of the golfer, therefore confirms the position of the clubface, is the provision of a golf club swing indicator compressing a clamp for connecting to a shaft of the golf club, is removable and therefore can be attached to a variety of different golf clubs, enables the golfer to use his peripheral vision at any time during his backswing or downswing planes and can also be attached to shaft of a putter to help the golfer with his tempo as it acts as a pendulum clock to help develop a smooth stroke 